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Western sanctions: Putin speaks of “a colossal amount of difficulties”

2022-07-18T15:46:14.549Z


Actually, he wanted to demonstrate strength - but recent statements by Vladimir Putin suggest how deeply the sanctions affect Russia. Above all, the sluggish development of the digital economy is obviously causing problems.


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Russia's ruler Vladimir Putin (archive photo): "We will look for new solutions"

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IMAGO/Alexei Nikolsky / IMAGO/ITAR-TASS

Russia's President Vladimir Putin has described the sanctions against his country as a major challenge, but in typical Kremlin rhetoric he has at the same time been combative and confident of victory.

"It is clear that this is a big challenge for our country, but we will not give up," Putin said on Monday, according to the Interfax agency.

"While recognizing the colossal amount of difficulties that lie ahead, we will intensively and competently search for new solutions." It is not possible to isolate Russia from the rest of the world with a "giant fence".

At the same time, Putin criticized Western technology sanctions.

"The almost total blocking of access to foreign high-tech products is being used deliberately against our country," he said on Monday.

Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that it is surviving the far-reaching punitive measures that the West imposed in response to the war of aggression against Ukraine and that it is even emerging from them stronger.

At the same time, the sanctions are already having an impact on Russian aviation and the automotive industry.

One can also see Putin's statements as an attempt to develop new partnerships: His statements come shortly before a planned trip to Iran on Tuesday.

The Kremlin had previously denied that Putin wanted to talk there about the possible acquisition of Iranian drones.

The United States had said it had indications that Iran wanted to support Russia in fighting Ukraine.

Accordingly, the Iranian government is preparing to provide several hundred drones - including those that can transport weapons.

Iran rejected the US account.

There is cooperation between Russia and Iran on a technological level, according to Tehran.

But this began long before the Ukraine war.

Kremlin chief is too slow to build up the digital economy

On Monday, Putin criticized the arms holding Rostech, led by his longtime confidante Sergey Chemezov, for the lack of speed in building up the digital economy.

"Modest" are the results in the areas for which Rostech is responsible, he said during a televised government meeting.

Among other things, the development of the fifth generation Internet and microelectronics failed.

Putin has now demanded that the government appoint a deputy head of government for the development of key technologies, who will control the industry.

The opposition has been complaining about high levels of corruption in Russia's state-owned companies for years.

In the past, however, Putin has avoided concrete criticism of corporations that report to his personal confidants.

Putin and Chemesov know each other from their days as agents in the GDR.

Chemezov has headed Rostech since 2007 and is therefore also responsible for the production of new weapons.

According to experts, these have been used to a far lesser extent in the Ukraine war than was previously expected.

sol/dpa

Source: spiegel

All business articles on 2022-07-18

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